Eric Vu

Dr. Vu’s laboratory investigates the neural mechanisms mediating the learning of complex vocalizations by songbirds and their recovery following brain injury. Because the process by which young songbirds learn to sing is remarkably similar to the way human infants learn to speak, this research provides a theoretical basis for developing new, physiologically-based treatments that could alleviate developmental as well as adult speech disorders such as stuttering and stroke-induced aphasia. The fundamental research conducted in this laboratory also contributes to understanding how the brain normally processes, learns, and produces complex vocalizations such as speech.